


Shepherd for the Lost

by Nox001



Category: Changeling: The Lost
Genre: Changelings, Gen, Priests
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 11:08:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15071903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nox001/pseuds/Nox001
Summary: An old priest introduces a new priest to a strange group of people.





	Shepherd for the Lost

Shepherd for the lost

It was a pleasant spring day. Sun was shining flowers blooming. Father Joseph went to go visit a brother of his Father McKenzie. Joseph was pretty new to the profession while McKenzie had been at it a while but even Joseph could see that McKenzie was an odd priest as he had some unusual hobbies. One of these being blacksmithing, another was bow hunting at least that’s what he always told everyone but today Joseph was to learn the real reason he went off into the woods once per week. A few days ago McKenzie had invited Joseph to accompany him on one of his jogs through the woods as he wanted a partner and was getting on in years. He had packed a few things that Joseph found odd for a camping trip. Sure there was the usual, his bow and arrows, which he had made but there was also holy water, a bottle of wine and bread. As they made their way out of town the wind started to pick up. 

They had driven out of town in an old diesel truck and had parked at the edge of a forest. The forest was situated on the slope of a mountain range you could of sworn had been there sense the beginning of the world. Back a ways from the road there was a trail winding and weaving up the mountain. For the first time sense they had begun there journey as they started up the trail McKenzie spoke. “Joseph, I haven’t been quite honest with you as the reason I brought you out here.” “It wasn’t just because I wanted your company.” “What do you mean.” He stopped and pointed at the mountain. “At the top of that mountain is a little special community that I say mass for each week, but you see I’m old I can’t quite make it up the mountain anymore. So I was hoping you would be able to when the time comes, replace me. Don’t decide now wait until you meet them.” Joseph was a little put off by this but he decided to give the old preacher the benefit of the doubt. It was slow going as they climbed, though the trail wasn’t too steep McKenzie had to stop and catch his breath on multiple occasions. Toward the end of the trail they passed by what appeared to be a well and as they rounded a corner Joseph thought he saw a figure dash behind a rock cropping.  
McKenzie noticed, and following his gaze saw as well and cried out, “Ho Jack. Don’t be afraid.”  
The figure stopped and a voice replied out of sight. “Old Father? Is that you? But who is this with you?” “His name is Father Joseph and hope that one day he will be my replacement?” Joseph then realized he had eyes on him studying him. Slowly the figure merged from out behind the rocks. What greeted his eyes was a boy with goat legs and two horns sticking out of his head with eyes nearly pitch black. There was brown hair or fur all along his arms. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He wanted to run but he couldn’t feel his legs as if they had gone to jelly. He took a deep breath after all he noticed that Father McKenzie wasn’t freaking out but still he couldn’t help but have a panic attack. “Woe there son, breath.” McKenzie said as he noticed the younger priest’s distress. Gesturing him over to a nearby tree trunk to sit down. Joseph gave no resistance letting himself be guided over to the waiting seat. Questions were bouncing around everywhere in his head and when he finally calmed down enough to ask the first thing that came out of his mouth was “What are you,” directed at the not so happy, but understanding enough to give Joseph his space, Jack.   
“It’s kind of hard to explain,” said Jack. “But before I do I need you to make a promise not to tell anyone.” Jack took a step forward and brought his mask up hiding his true nature behind a facade making him look like any other person. He extended his now very human looking hand towards Joseph. Joseph after a moment, hesitantly took it. Although Jack looked normal Joseph could feel the hair on Jack’s arm. Jack began to recite, “May no harm come on purpose from me or hurt this man in any way for as long as he keeps his word not to tell a soul about what is to be revealed today and if either one of us break their word may they be blown away like the autumn leaves.” As he recited the wind picked up and began to circle around them and Joseph felt a tingle shoot up his arm. As quickly as the wind came it died.   
“Well now that that’s been taken care of, Father McKenzie said, we best get around to explaining things to him.”   
And so they explained, that yes fairies are real except they are nothing like Disney fairies, that they are kind of assholes, that they kidnaped Jack and others like him, that jack used to be human but his time with his kidnappers changed him, and lastly that he escaped from them but can’t really go back to his old life. “We are the lost.” he said. After that one long explanation short Joseph just sat there trying to take it all in.   
As he was still sitting there they started hearing the sound of someone humming a tune coming down the path. That someone was Barb. She was in a merry mood, after all spring was her season. There was just something in the air about all the new growth that excited her and always put her in a good mood, not that she needed it, she was almost always in a good mood. She was walking/skipping her way down the path when she saw Father McKenzie. “Pastor,” she exclaimed as she rushed forward engulfing him in a hug. What greeted their eyes was a girl in a black dress that was almost a part of her with long sense dried black tear stains etched into her face from her Durance with her kidnappers. Despite all this her face was bright, her eyes wide and she had an infectious smile that could brighten up a room.   
“It’s good to see you.” “How has it been? I haven’t seen you in a while. God, I missed you.”   
“I’ve been good just haven’t been able to come, poor health and all. Anyway my dear we have a guest.”   
“Oh,” she said peering over McKenzie’s shoulder finally noticing Joseph. Promptly ignoring the fact that Joseph was staring she walked up to him and extended her hand in greeting. “Hi, what’s your name?” “Uh, Joseph.” he murmured. “Hi, Joseph nice to meet you,” giving the offered hand a hearty shake. “I’m Barb, that’s of course not my real name but you know what they say about names.” Joseph nodded although he had no idea what she was talking about. McKenzie later explained that names have power here so they prefer not to give them.   
“Barb,” said McKenzie, “could you run ahead and inform the others that we have a guest.” “Oh sure.” she replied rushing back up the path. The three followed her with Jack in the lead, McKenzie in the middle and finally a very nervous Joseph bringing up the rear.   
As they walked, a shadow appeared across the sun as the clouds started to roll in for one of the mountain’s infamous spring showers. They made it up the hill and saw what looked like a bunch of log cabins, with off to one side what looked like a little church, and in the center of the little village a fire pit with a bunch of logs placed around it for sitting. There was a fire going with what looked like side of venison that had just finished being cooked. They were greeted by a crowd of people, maybe about 20 in number gathered around the fire. Everyone looked normal to Joseph as he looked around but he couldn’t help wondering what they really looked like, much less what they are. He recognized Barb’s face in the crowd except the tear stains were gone and he noticed though an unusually tall old man standing in the crowd who walked up and introduced himself as David Andrew Goliath. David for short. He had a very strong grip Joseph noticed as they shuck hands.  
As the wind started to pick up and the storm moved in David gestured for the group to make their way indoors over to a nearby cabin. David had to duck as they made their way through the door. Dinner was served with McKenzie and Joseph as that night’s guests of honor. The food and drink did much to calm Joseph’s nerves as Barb ceremoniously went about introducing him to everyone there. Jack also turned out to be quite adapt at the fiddle as he struck up a musical chorus and dancing ensued. As the night wound on the storm ramped up and it was soon time for all involved to go to bed. It was decided that Joseph would bunk in David’s cabin that night along with McKenzie. The storm was raging outside. It was half way through the night when they were awoken by a loud boom and a crash. Going outside to see what had happened they saw a small figure rushing towards them. It was the guy Joseph had learned, whose name was Tinker. “What happened,” David shouted as he saw him? “The roof collapsed,” he cried, “and Rickey is still trapped in there.” ”McKenzie! Tinker! Go get help! Joseph come with me!” David took charge. Everyone rushed off to do their prospective assignments as Joseph and David made their way over. David practically kicked the door down as Joseph made his way into the cabin. There stuck underneath a collapsed log was a man Joseph swore was made of ice. He figured this must be Rickey. 

The roof was half collapsed and there were signs that the rest of it would not last much longer. As Joseph tried to get the log off Rickey David made his way in. Suddenly with a creak the rest of the roof gave way and just as suddenly were David’s human form used to be there now stood a hulking ogre holding up the rest of the roof. Joseph’s eyes bulged out of his skull in fright as David now truly much an ogre reached down with one hand pulling the log off Rickey. “Get him out of here,” David said through gritted teeth waking up Joseph from his shock! Joseph even in his fright was able to help Rickey out the door. Rickey was ice cold against his skin. As they made it safely outside David quickly shrugged off the weight of the roof and followed suite. Outside, all out of breath, the realization of what he just saw finally hit Joseph like a hammer to the brain. He put his face in his hands and screamed, “I can’t take it anymore!” Joseph ran off toward the cabin. David tried to follow but Rickey placed his hand on the big guys shoulder saying, “Let him go he needs time to sort this out.” Joseph made it back to the cabin and resolved that as soon as the storm was over he was going to rush down the mountain and try to forget that he ever heard of this place. He paced back and forth, he needed to calm down he told himself. So he did what he always did when he needed to calm his nerves. He picked up his pocket bible and began to read. First thing he read was Luke 15.   
The Parable of the Lost Sheep  
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.   
2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”   
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:   
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?   
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders   
6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’   
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 

Joseph stared at the passage. It had struck a nerve. He began to think about his first meeting with Jack and how he had said that they were the Lost, how he had explained them being kidnapped and tortured. He thought about Barb and how she didn’t let all this take away her optimistic spirit, how she had greeted him, how they had all greeted him, how they cared for him and McKenzie, how they cared about each other. He finally realized these were not monsters, these were people who had been the victims of monsters. He stopped and prayed asking God to give him the courage to see these people as they really were. God had called him to minister to these people, the lost sheep of humanity. 

In the morning the storm had passed and everything had calmed down. There was a pleasant freshness to the air. Barb went to go get Joseph for breakfast. Joseph greeted Barb with a, “Good Morning.” “Oh, Good morning,” replied Barb. “How did you sleep?” “Fairly well considering all that happened last night.” “Yeah I heard you saw David, he can be a bit frightening at first.” They made their way to breakfast and greeted the rest of the people there. Afterwards the whole group made their way over to the church and Joseph and Father McKenzie said mass. As Joseph did the sermon he looked out over his strange and unusual, but wondrous congregation and he knew where he belonged.


End file.
